Stove or the like



July 14, 1925.

S. S. THOMAS STOVE OR THE LIKE Filed March 17, 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 14, 1925. 1,546,044

S. S. THOMAS STOVE OR THE LIKE F1' .ied March 17, 1922. 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 14, 1925. 1,546,044

- 5. s. THOMAS STOVE 012 THE LIKE Filed March 17, 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 r v f 57 A? m /(i 55 l/ Jfi' July 14, 1925. 1,546,044

s. s. THOMAS STOVE OR THE LIKE Filed'March 1'7, 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 July 14, 1925.

s. s. THOMAS STOVE OR THE LIKE Filed March 17, 1922.

5 sheets-Sheet s Patented July 14, 1925 sTErHEN s. THQMAsoE ALEXANDRIA, LQUISIANA'.

STOVE OR THE LIKE.

Application filed March 17, 1922. Serial No. 544,694.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, STEPHEN S. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at lexandria, in the Parish of Rapides and State of Louisiana, formerly residing at Peebles, in the county of Adams and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stoves or the like, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention has to do with certain improvements in stoves or heaters, and more particularly the said invention has to do with improvements in stoves which are provided with coverings of heat-insulating material to thereby better retain the heat within the interior of the stove. More particularly the invention relates to a device of this kind in which the interior of the stove may be initially heated by the generation of heat on the interior of the stove, the said heat being conserved by the heat-insulating material, so that after the desired temperature has been attained the subsequent operation may be conducted simply 5 by the use of the heat so generated and retained on the interior of the device.

There have been in the past devised a number of stoves or heaters operating on the general principle mentioned above. However, it has been found very diflicult and in many cases impossible to secure a uniform heating action in all portions of the stove. This has resulted, among other things, by reason of the fact that the heating gases are not properly distributed with respect to the different portions of the oven structure. It is well understood that there is ordinarily a tendency for the greatest heat to concentrate in the rear or back portion of the oven, so that articles placed in the rear portion will frequently become burned or overcooked before articles in the front portion of the oven are properly cooked. One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a construction by means of which a very uniform heating actionmay be secured throughout the entire oven body.

Another feature of the present invention has to do with the provision of a construction which will be very well adapted for heating by means of different kinds of fuel, such as gasoline, kerosene, gas, and other fuels. It is well understood that the products of combustion of some fuels are much heavier than the products resulting from the movement of the hot gases or products of combustion is occasioned solely by natural draft. The hot products of combustion from one fuel may circulate properly through the heating passages, whereas the products of combustion from another fuel may not circulate at all on account of the different-e in weight or specific gravity of thetwo classes of products of combustion.

An'otherfeature of the present invention has to do with the provision of an arrangement whereby the circulation of the products of combustion through the heating flues may be modified or changed according to the kind of fuel which is being consumed, so that a proper circulation of the heating gasesmay be secured at all times, regardless of what kind of fuelis being used.

Another feature'of the invention has to do with the mechanical construction of the stove, and the main object of this feature is to provide a construction such that the device may be manufactured in a very simple manner from blanks or sheets of metal whichmay be cut or stamped out and assembled in a very simple manner and at comparatively low expense.

Other features and objects of the invention will appear from a detailed description of the same, which consists in the features of construction and rombinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the several drawings:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the oven, with certain portions thereof and portions of the heat insulation broken away;

Fig. 2 shows a vertical section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 shows vertical cross section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 4 shows a horizontal section taken on'line 4-% of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 4' may also be considered as being taken on line 4- 1 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 5 shows a broken horizontal section on line 55 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

In the construction shown in the several figures, there is provided a closed oven located above a broiling oven, wherein the gas or other fuel is burned for the generation ofthe hot gases which serve to heat the closed oven. I desire to state at this point, however, that the features of my invention are in nowise limited to use in conjunction with a broiling oven associated with a single closed oven.

The closed oven is designated by the number 12. It comprises the side walls 13 and 1- 1, the bottom 15, the top 16, and the back 17 in conjunction with the door 18. The side walls 13 and 14:, the bottom 15 and top 16 are conveniently formed from a single sheet of metal bent into the form indicated in Fig. 3, and having its end portions lock-jointed together, as shown at 19. The back sheet 17 is locked to the back periphery of the sheet just described. The front periphery of the sheet, which forms the sides, top and bottom of the oven, is flanged outwardly, as shown at 20, for a purpose to be presently explained. Suitable ledges 21 may be formed in the side walls of the oven, by indenting or corrugating said walls, said ledges serving to support pans or trays in the usual manner.

Encircling the sides and top of the oven is an inverted U- shaped plate, which provides the side walls 22 and 23 and the top 24. This plate is of suflicient size, and is so located as to provide passages 25 and 26 adjacent to the side Walls of the oven, and passages 27 and 28 above the top 16 of the oven. A back plate 29 is lock-jointed to c rear edge of the top portion 2 1 of the tl-shaped plate, and the side edges of the lack plate 29 are jointed to the rear edges of the side walls 22 and 23 of the U-shaped plate. The front edges 30 and 31 of the side walls 22 and 23 are flanged outwardly, as shown in Fig. 4, for a purpose to be presently explained. A bottom plate 32 has its front edge 33 bent downwardly for a purpose to be presently explained. The side edges 34 and 35 of this bottom plate are so bent as to provide upwardly facing sockets for the reception of the lower edges of the side walls 22 and 23, respectively, as is clearly shown in Fig. 3. The lower edge 36 of the back plate 29 is so bent as toprovide a forwardly facing socket for the accommodation of the rear edge of the bottom plate 32, in the manner clearly indicated in Fig. 2.

A burner 3'? of suitable form and construction is mounted in the upper portion of the broiling oven and beneath the closed oven. In the particular construction illustrated this burner is adapted to the burning of gas delivered through the pipe 38, but it will be readily appreciated that any other suitable burner adapted to the combustion of any other suitable fuel may be used. A false bottom 39 is located between the burner and the bottom plate 15 of the oven, said false bottom serving to prevent a direct impingement of the hot gases from' the burner against the bottom of the oven, and causing said gases to pass to both sides of the oven and upwardly adjacent to the said sides. These hot gases pass upwardly through the passages 25 and 26 into the passages 27 and 28 located above the top of the oven. The gases collecting at the top of the oven from the passages 2? and 28 may be disposed of either directly through a flue 10,. which communicates with the forward ends of said passages, said flue leading rearwardly to a suitable discharge point, or the said gases may be disposed of by leading them downwardly adjacent to the forward portions of the'side walls of the oven in the manner to be presently explained.

It will be observed that the port ell which connects the flue 4:0 with the passages 27 and 28 is located well forwardly with respect to the top of the oven, so that the gases, in order to reach the flue d0 by way of the port 41, must of necessity travel adjacent to the upper forward corners of the oven. This will insure a thorough heating of the said upper forward corners of the oven, and will in considerable measure draw the hot gases away from the rear portion of the oven where they would ordinarily collect, thus insuring a uniform heating of the forward portion of the oven. This is a very important consideration. for the reason previously mentioned, that it is ordinarily difficult to properly heat the upper forward portion of the oven.

A partition 12 extends along the upper central portion of the top 16 of the oven, thereby isolating the passages 27 and 23 from each other. are located certain plates. Inasmuch as these plates are reversed duplicates of each other it will suflice to describe a single one of them in detail. The plate comprises lower body portion as, having an opening 4 1 formed in its rear portion, some of the metal struck out from said opening being bent sidewise to provide a lip 45. The plate j includes also an upper portion 4L6, the upper end of which is turned over to provide lip 17, which lip has its central portion cut away to provide an opening 4.8. The forward edge of the portion 13 is so formed as to provide a hook which is adapted to cooperate with another element in the manner lit all

At the sides of the broiler J presently to be described. The rear edge of the portion 43 is flanged outwardly as at 50. Each of the plates 43 is L-shaped, and is entirely open above the horizontal arm or. branch to permit communication with passages 25 and 26, respectively, at the two sides of the oven.

Referring particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, the mode of application. of these side plates will be readily understood. Thev are. set into the side; portions of the broiler, the upper extremities of the parts 46 being enteredzinto the lower ends of the passages 25 and 26, respectively, as shown in Figs. 2 and. 3. When. so. entered, these upper ends serve to isolate the passages 51 and 52 at the sides of the broiler. the upper ends of said passages commmiicating with the lower ends of the passages 25 andg26, respet tively, byway of openings formed by the cut-away portions 48. It therefore follows that the gases descending through the passages 25 and. 26 at the sides of the oven will'be delivered, respectively, into the passages 51 and 52:at the sides of-thebroiler. The rear edges of the upper port-ions 46 of these plates; are flanged outwardly, as shown at 53, for the purpose of: enclosing therear sides ofthe passages 51 and-52. The front sides: of saidpassagesare closed, by means of the front of the stove. Angled 55 or the like, which are entered between the lower portions 43 and the adjacent side walls 22 and 23 serve to isolate passages 56 and, 57' from. the passages 51 and 52, respectively, so that the gases flowingdownwardlythrough the passages 51 and-52 cannot return rearwardly to'the passages 56 and 57 and thereby commence an upward flow.

The bottom sheet 32', previously described is provided with. open-ings58, 59, 60 and 61. The openings 60 and 61. at the forward side portions of said plate are flanged downwardly, HS-:ShOW-ll inFig. 3, and. enter into a cross-tube or flue 62, within which all'of the products of combustion passing downwardly through the passages 51: and 52. are collected. The cross-connection 62 communicates with a rearwardly, extending .passage 63, whereby allof the gaseswithin said connection are delivered to an upwardly extending flue 64= which flue 64- leadsto a: discharge connection 65; The fine 40, which was previously described, also com municates with the discharge connection 65 under the control of'a damper 66,,which in Fig. 2 is shown in closed position. Vith the damper in the position showninEig; 2, the products of comhustionare prevented from passing over; the flue 40 through the discharge connection 65 and are compelled to pass downwardly, by way of the passages 25 and 26, and 51' and 52, to the cross connection 62, whereby: they are delivered which leads into the broiling oven.

through the passage 63 to the flue 64. By

reversing the damper 66, the products of bustion heavier than air will-readily dis charge by reason of their ability to flow downwardly by way ofthe assages 25, 26, 51' and 52.

The other openings 58 and 59. previousl a' mentioned in the description of the bottom plate 32, are flanged outwardly, for the ac commodation of the'upper ends of the air supply ports 69 and 70, respectively. The

air entering through these ports passes npwar'dlyand finds its way into the passages 56 and 57. and flows thence through the openings at lntothe broiling oven, where it finds its way to the burner.

An outside covering is built up for the stove in the following manner: A U-shaped plate provides the top 71 and the side walls 72 and 73. A plate 74 provides the bottom. The plate 74 is flanged into a pan shape, and a rectangular band or. bar-of metal 75 is seated just inside of the said flange. The lower edges of the side walls 72 and 73 are flanged upwardly around this bar of metal, thus locking the side walls and bottom sheet together. A sheet 76 closes the hack of the oven. The top and side edgesof this sheet are flanged, onto the rear edges of the top '71 and the side walls 72 and 73, as best shown in Fig. 2; and the bottom edge of the pack sheet is flanged upwardly onto the bar A sheet7 7 provides the front of the stove, and said sheet has its top and side peripheries lock-jointed to the forward edges ofthe top 71 andthe side sheets 72 and 73, as best shown in Fig. 2. The front sheet is provided with a pair of, openings correspondingto the door 18 of. the. oven andthe door 78 In the construction illustrated, it is necessary to provide seats for these doors, and also it is necessary to provide aspace adjacent to the cross-partition 7.9 for the accommodation of heat-insulating material. All of. thesev results are accomplished by the constructions which I will now describe.

A plate 80 encircles the opening for the oven door 18, and a plate 81 encircles the opening for the broiler door 78. The outer periphery of the plate 80 is flanged outwardly, as at 82, said flanged portion seating against a depressed=portion83 of the front plate. The inner periphery 84 ofthe plate 80'is flanged inwardly. It was previously explained that the forward periphery of the plate comprising the sides, top and bottom of the closed oven is flanged outwardly, as shown at 9.0 in Fig. This flange 20 cooperates with the flange 84 just described, in the manner shown in Fig. 2, so that the plate cannot be withdrawn without a simultaneous withdrawal of the side walls, top and bottom of the oven.

The outer periphery of the plate 81 is flanged outwardly, as at 85, said flange seating into a depression 86 of the front plate, and the inner perpihery of the plate 81 is flanged inwardly, as at 87. It was previously explained that the forward edge of the bottom plate 32 is flanged downwardly, as at 33, and this flange co-operates with the flange 87 to loci: the plate 32 to the plate '81, as best shown in Fig. 2. An L-shaped plate 88 extends across the stove behind the partition 7 9, said plate 88 having its lower edge flanged against the flange 87 and loclc joined throughout, as shown in Fig. 2. The upper portion 90 of the plate 88 extends forwardly and seats against the inner surface of the partition 79, as shown in Fig. 2. A. pair of transverse 91 and 92 extend from front to rear of the stove between the bottom of the oven and the top surface of the false bottom 39, the rear ends of said bars resting against the back sheet, and their front ends pressing against the L-shaped plate 88 and serving to hold the same up against the partition 79.

It was previously explained that the forward edges of the top sheet 2 and of the side sheets 22 and 23 are flanged outwardly. These flanged portions co-operate with the top and side portions of the plate 80, and with the side portions of the. plate 81, as shown in Fig. 2, so that, upon forcing home the plates 80 and 81, a wedging action will be secured. In order to improve the wedging engagement just mentioned, it will be found desirable under many circumstances to insert a strip or sheet of such material as asbestos sheeting between the metal plates. T. have, therefore, illustrated a strip of ashes tos 92 between the sheet 80 and the flanges of the top and side sheets with which it engages, said asbestos being best shown in Fig, 2. I will presently explain how strips of asbestos or the like may also be inserted at other desirable points where metal would otherwise engage metal.

The doors 18 and 7 8 are conveniently built up in the manner shown in the several ligures. The construction illustrated includes the use of sheet metal pans 98 and 94 for the two doors. Each of these pans has its periphery formed or beveled at a suitable angle to engage firmly against the surface ofthe corresponding, sheet 80 or 81, so that when the doors are closed a very snug contact will be secured. The extreme outer periphery 95 of each of these pans is flanged outwardly, as best shown in Fig. 2, and said pans are closed by means. of the outside plates 96 and 97, respectively, the peripheries of said plates being flanged over the Flanges 95 of the corresponding pans. The doors thus constructed may be hinged to the front of the stove in any suitable manner, as by means of the hinges 98 and 99.

While it is true that a very snug fit may be secured, metal to metal, by the arrange ment thus described, sti in many cases this will not insure a gas-tight fit, and consequently there might be an escape or leakage of steam or other vapors from the interior portions of the stove; I have, therefore, made provision for seating the doors against yielding gash ts of asbestosfor other suitable material. It was previously explained that the flange 20 co-operates with the flange 84 at a point adjacent to the door 18, and that the flanges 33 and 89 co-operate with the flanges 87 adjacent to the door 78. T have illustrated at each of these points of engagementa strip of asbestos tubing or other yieldable material 100, which strip of material has its inner edge gripped between the adjacent coacting flanges, and has its outer edge turned down into such position as to engage or contact against the inner surface of the corresponding door pan when closed. This arrangement will be readily understood by an examination of Fig. 2.

It is desirable to provide means for looking the doors in closed position and for forcing them home so as to insure the gastight'sealing previously discussed. Nevertheless, it will be appreciated that in many cases it would be very dangerous absolute ly lock the doors of a device of this kind against any possibility of opening under the influence of the internal pressure. This danger exists by reason of the fact that it will sometimes happen that an explosion will take place on the interior of the stove, which explosion, were it to be absolutely resisted by the doors, would result in a complete disruption of the stove structure. I have, therefore, illustrated a construction whereby the doors may be locked in a suffic ently tight manner to insure the afore mentioned sealing against the escape of steam or vapors during ordinary operation, but which construction will, nevertheless, permit the doors to open under the extreme conditions created, for example, by an explosion.

This construction includes the use of a spring member, the inner end of which is secured to the frame of the stove. The outer end 103 of the spring member is so curved that the door may be forced open and will be retained in a fairly tight manner by the spring member. A handle 104 is pivoted to the frame, at the point 105, so that when the handle is turned into a horizontal position, the inner end will bear against the spring member in such a manner as to further compress the door into the closed position. This fact will be readily appreciated also from an examination of Fig. 4. It will be observed from examining Fig. 4: that it is possible to drive the door open by the exertion of an abnormal pressure on the interior, because in such case the inner end 103 of the spring will yield to permit the accomplishment of this result. 7

It is very desirable to be able to observe the condition of the flame of the burner without having to open the door 78. I have, therefore, provided the construction which I will now describe, for permitting the accomplishment of this result. Through the central portion of the door 78 there eXtends an opening indicated by the numeral 107 in Fig. 2. This opening is closed by a plate of glass or mica, or other suitable trans parent material 108. The inner side of the opening 107 is closed by a pair of sheets of mica or the like, 109 and 110, which are separated a slight distance by a peripheral ring 111. A mirror 112 is seated in the bot tom portion of the opening 107, said mirror being so placed that the operator, by looking down through the window 108 from the normal position of observation, will observe the reflection of the flame and burner in the mirror without having to stoop or assume an inconvenient position. The use of the double sheet comprising the plates 109 and 110, separated by the spacer 111, will largely, if not entirely, eliminate the condensation of water vapors and the like on the mirror 112, as well as the window 108 and the sheets 109 and 110, so that the condition of the burner and flame can be observed at all times in a clear and distinct manner. When desired, a thermometer 113 may be introduced into the door 18 for the purpose of indicating the exact temperature existing on the interior of the closed oven.

The heat insulating spaces may be filled with any desired material, such as kieselguhr, powdered pumice, cork, asbestos, or any other suitable material. However, when such finely powdered materials as kieselguhr are used, they will be thoroughly and efliciently retained within the heat insulating spaces by reason of the efiicient manner in which the various co-o-perating the manner in which the various sheets are set together.

hile I have herein shown and described only a single embodiment of the features of my invention, still it will be understood that I do not in any manner limit myself to the said embodiment, except as I may do so in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a stove adapted for the use of fuels giving products of combustion either heavier or lighter than air, the combination with a closed oven of a combustion chamber beneath the same, a burner in said combustion chamber, passages for delivering air through th sides of said chamber to the burner, heating passages leading upwardly from said chamber along the sides of the oven to a point above the bottom of the oven, discharge passages leading down- \vardly from said passages along the sides of the oven and the combustion chamber to a. discharge connection at the bottom of the stove, other discharge passages leading away from the upper ends of the heating passages, and means for closing the last mentioned passages for the purpose of directing all the products of combustion downwardly and out of the heating passages, substantially as described.

2. In a stove adapted for the use; of fuels giving products of combustion either heavier or lighter than air, the combination with an oven of a combustion chamber beneath the same, a burner in said combustion chamber, there being openings for the delivery of air into said combustion chamber to the burner, heating passages leading upwardly from the combustion chamber along the sides of the oven to a point above the bottom of the oven, discharge passages leading downwardly along the sides of the oven and the combustion chamber to a point of discharge below the burner, other discharge passages leading away from the upper portions of the heating passages, and means for controlling the flow of gases out of the heating passages by either set of discharge passages as desired, substantially as described.

STEPHEN S. THOMAS. 

